Method of improving the current supply of electrolysis cells aligned in a lengthwise direction

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of improving the current supply of electrolysis cells such as used in the production of aluminum by igneous electrolysis of alumina dissolved in cryolite, in which the cells are aligned in a lengthwise direction, allowing the harmful influence of the induced magnetic fields to be reduced. In a series, each cell is supplied with current from the preceding cell both via the head and via at least one side riser. The output of the cathode bars are divided into two separate groups, the upstream group supplying the head of the subsequent cell and the downstream group supplying the side risers of the subsequent cell. This produces a substantial improvement in the efficiency and a greater regularity.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of improving the current supply of electrolysis cells aligned in a lengthwise direction in order to reduce the interferences caused by the induced magnetic field, comprising dividing the cathode output bars on each side of the cells into at least two separate groups containing a substantially equal number of bars, and supplying the beam of the cell in row n with current both via the upstream head from the upstream group of cathode bars of the cell in row n-1 and via at least one side riser on each side connected to at least one intermediate point in the beam situated between the upstream head and the downstream head from the downstream group of cathode bars of the cell in row n-1. 
     
     
       2. A method of improving the current supply of electrolysis cells aligned in a lengthwise direction according to claim 1, in which the cathode output rods on each side of the cells are divided into two separate groups containing a substantially equal number of bars and in which the cross-head of the cell in row n is supplied with current both via the upstream head from the upstream group of cathode bars of the cell in row n-1 and via a side riser on each side connected to a point in the cross-head situated substantially in the center of the said cross-head from the downstream group of cathode bars of the cell in row n-1. 
     
     
       3. A method of improving the current supply of electrolysis cells aligned in a lengthwise direction according to claim 1, in which the cathode output bars on each side of the cells are separated into three independent groups containing a substantially equal number of bars and in which the beam of the cell in row n is supplied with current both via the upstream head from the upstream group of cathode bars of the cell in row n-1, via a first side riser on each side connected to a point of the cross-head situated substantially at "upstream" one-third of this from the central group of cathode bars of the cell in row n-1, and via a second side riser on each side connected to a point of the cross-head situated substantially upstream two-thirds from the downstream group of cathode rods of the cell in row n-1.